"N! You don't have to do this!" Hilda yelled over the whipping winds. "Don't you remember the story? The two brothers- they called off the fighting because it was useless!"

"You know that this has to be done, Hilda! I have to find out which is stronger, my truth or your ideals!"

She sighed. There really was no getting through to him, was there. But, in a way, she could sense that that wasn't quite true. His resolve had been shaken a while back, once he found pokemon that loved their trainers. Once he met her.

"Reshiram!" N called to the sky, "I need your help!"

The back wall of the chamber blew apart, a majestic white form flying through the gaping hole. A blast of intense heat came with it, and Hilda raised her arm to shield her face.

"Now," N bellowed, "we find out if Zekrom recognizes you, too, as the hero of legend."

They stood a moment.

A minute.

Sixty seconds that stretched into infinity as she waited.

Please, Zekrom. I have to be the one to do this.

N frowned as Reshiram settled at his side. "Can it be? You're not the other hero? That's... impossible!"

Right as he said that last word, the stone in her pocket began to vibrate. She pulled it out hesitantly, and it flew up and out of her hands, stopping just below the ceiling and then expanding.

"It's... It's..." N beamed at the expanding cloud of darkness billowing outward from the stone.

"Zekrom!" Hilda yelled. The dragon roared, unfurled its black wings, and flared the engine in its tail. The air in the chamber crackled with static electricity, and Hilda's hair stood on end.

"Zekrom says that it will recognize you if you can befriend it!" N smiled triumphantly. "Go! Battle the legendary dragon, Hilda! Prove that you're the hero!"

She smiled at him as she took out her first pokeball. "Samurott," she said to her partner, "we have to catch Zekrom and save Unova from Team Plasma. No pressure, buddy, but we're kind of on the clock!"

Her Samurott gave a grunt of approval and rushed to meet the dragon in battle.

She remembered the gift that Professor Juniper had given her. If there was ever a time to use the Masterball, it was now.

As Samurott dodged Zekrom's first attack she yelled, "Fall back, Samurott!" and threw the ball with all her might. It hit Zekrom in the chest and opened, pulling the legendary pokemon inside.

Professor Juniper had told her this couldn't fail. She prayed to Arceus that she was right.

The pokeball shook once.

Twice.

Three times.

Click.

"Hah! I knew it, you ARE the hero, Hilda!" N sounded thrilled. "Now, we must battle, and decide the fate of Unova." He walked toward her. "Oh, but wait. Here, let me heal your pokemon. Battling weakened pokemon would be cheating. And I'm nothing if not honest."

As he healed Hilda's pokemon, he looked into her eyes and admitted, "Too bad this is our final battle. I've grown somewhat... attached to you, in a way." He seemed to be blushing, but it could have just been Reshiram's blazing aura, casting a reddish glow about the throne room. "Ever since I first heard your pokemon's voice, I've imagined this day. The final deciding factor. Will all pokemon be released, or will you prevail?" His smile was genuine, and she wondered how he could still hold on to his manic ideas. Up close, his eyes were so open and earnest, and she noticed, not for the first time, how gorgeous he was. Under the rim of his cap, his eyes were dark emeralds, and although there were bags under them, they were focused now. Hilda could see thoughts chasing themselves around his face, and she could only imagine how hard he was trying to hold onto his childish dream... even when all evidence suggested that he was wrong. She had changed his status quo when they had met. She showed him that pokemon could love their trainers. She wanted nothing more than to shake his shoulders and scream "Ghetsis has been lying to you! All your life! He only brought you mistreated pokemon! Their trainers were bad people, but not all trainers are!" She saw all his potential, both great and terrible, she saw the world as it would be if she failed. A world ruled by Ghetsis and Team Plasma. That was not the world N wanted. His innocence blinded him.

Hilda steeled her nerves as he finished healing her pokemon. "Are you ready, N? It's not too late to change your mind."

He smiled at her, and it was full of sadness and hope, all at the same time. "And it is not too late for you to join me. We could rule Unova together... as... King and Queen!"

She stared. King and Queen? Was the heat going to his head? But no, she could see that he meant it. He wanted a perfect world. And in his utopia, a place was designed for her. A place at his side.

She had to admit, it was a little bit tempting. After all, who wouldn't want a place at N's side? But she only smiled sadly and shook her head. "You know I can't do that, N."

He knew that would be Hilda's answer. He knew from the very beginning. "Well then." He walked to the other side of the room and turned to face her. "Let's battle. Who shall be Unova's savior? You? Or Me?"

They both knew that, even with Reshiram's help, N stood no chance. He never had. Her pokemon felt her determination, and they fought with all they had. And they won.

Out of pokemon, defeated, N looked at her. Not with anger, or malice of any kind. He looked as if he had been wearing manacles all his life, and she just handed him the keys. He was finally free from Ghetsis's spell. She had won.

He took a step forward, eyes fixed on hers-

And Ghetsis barrelled into the room, furious and cornered like an animal.

"NO! IT CANNOT BE!" He roared, and the tiles beneath Hilda's feet seemed to shake with his fury. Trembling with anger, the man faced his only son. His eyes radiated the most intense hatred she had ever seen, and she had the sudden urge to protect N, to throw herself between him and his evil father.

"ALL YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THIS! I GAVE YOU MISTREATED POKEMON SO YOU WOULD LEARN TO HATE TRAINERS! I GAVE TEAM PLASMA THE PERFECT INNOCENT KING TO FOLLOW AND YOU STILL MESSED IT UP! YOU RUINED MY PERFECT PLAN! YOU ARE UNWORTHY OF THE NAME YOU BEAR!"

To her complete surprise, N's face remained blank. "You manipulated me, and lied to me, and lied to all of Unova. I no longer wish to bear the same name as you."

Hilda didn't have time to react before Ghetsis's hand smacked across N's face. Bewildered, N fell to the ground, clutching his cheek in disbelief. N, who was always full of innocent confidence, had never looked smaller. Ghetsis raised his boot to kick out at him, but Hilda was across the floor and in front of him before anyone knew what had happened.

Hilda was surprised to find that she felt no fear. Her Samurott would protect her if things went sour, but for now, she stood up to the huge, hulking man all by herself. "You want to take your anger out on someone? How 'bout me. I'll destroy you, just like I destroyed your plan. No one is going to conquer Unova while I'm around." Hilda's voice echoed from every wall, amplifying her taunt and making her sound almost... formidable.

"I. WILL. DESTROY YOU," Ghetsis howled in rage.

"Go ahead and try, grandpa." She smirked. (Where was this confidence coming from? Maybe N lent his to her when she freed him.)

In battle, Ghetsis was more powerful than N, but he didn't have the advantage of love and trust with his pokemon. Her pokemon battled fiercely and didn't hold back. Soon, her last attack landed, knocking out Ghetsis's Sigilyph.

The man sank to his knees in defeat, and howled. His insane dreams completely shattered at the hands of a 17-year-old girl. How much more humiliating could it get?

Hilda heard footsteps behind her, and Alder and Cheren ran in from the hall, seemingly ready to assist in battle.

Panting, Cheren looked around at N, at Ghetsis, and finally at Hilda. "Hilda? You... you did it!"

"Please," she said nonchalantly, "Don't sound so surprised." She cocked a grin at him.

N cleared his throat. "I suppose you'll want to take us to jail then?"

Alder stepped forward. "Ghetsis, yes. But I don't think we need to arrest you." He was smiling with his eyes. "You were manipulated, I see no need to punish you. You've finally seen the light."

N was visibly taken aback. "You're... letting me go? After all the trouble I caused?"

Hilda smiled at him. While Alder and Cheren secured Ghetsis in chains, she sauntered over to the green-haired boy standing uncertainly in the back of the room, now facing the open portion. She could see that it was sunset outside. "What are you going to do now?" she asked him.

He shrugged, and wouldn't meet her eyes. "I guess... my friends and I will go on a journey of our own. I have some stuff I need to figure out."

"I imagined you'd say something like that."

He smiled at looked at her sideways. "Am I that predictable?"

"Maybe I'm just good at reading people."

"We make quite a pair. The boy who can speak to pokemon and the girl who can understand humans."

Now she smiled, and maybe blushed a little bit as well. "We do, don't we."

"Hilda, can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I'm so glad I met you, back in Accumula Town. You made me begin to question my purpose. With each battle, I became more doubtful of my father. Your pokemon have nothing but good things to say about you. They love and trust you with all their hearts."

"I feel the same way about them," she confessed.

"That's probably why I asked you to ride the Ferris Wheel with me. The adoration just radiated off of you and your partners, and I wanted to feel it, just a little bit, standing with you." He looked wistfully into the fading light outside. It was all very cliche, and she had to resist the urge to giggle at how corny this whole situation was. She fell in love with the dashing enemy, and had to set aside her personal feelings to defeat him. But now that he was no longer on the dark side...

"Hilda?" she realized she must have been staring. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing. I just... Enjoy your journey, N. Find the truth."

He beamed at her. "Keep on your journey, too. Search for your ideals. Maybe our paths will cross again someday."

"I would really like that, N."

"I would too." He took a step toward the edge of the gaping hole, and Reshiram flew down to catch him. "Now, farewell! I hope that we meet again someday!"

It was now or never.

"Wait!" she called, grabbing his wrist. Her stomach twisted itself into knots over what she was about to do.

He turned to look at her, puzzled, and she pulled him toward her, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning into him, gently pressing her lips against his. His whole body stiffened in surprise, then relaxed. His hands rested on her waist. She took this as a sign that he wasn't leaving yet. She parted her lips slightly, and twirled her fingers into his silky green hair. He smelled like a forest, like pine trees and campfires and the stars in the night sky. His heart hammered against her chest as he pulled her tighter against him, moving his mouth in rhythm with hers, letting her know that she would always be his and he would always be hers.

They pulled apart, wreathed in the fire of the setting sun, and he smiled an easy, happy smile. He stroked her cheek once, then turned away.

"We should do this again sometime," was all he said as he jumped out the makeshift window and landed on Reshiram's back.

He sure knew how to make an exit.

He looked back behind him and winked at her as Reshiram's engine tail blazed to life and propelled them forward like a jet, leaving only a heat wave and the lingering scent of pine to remind her that that moment was not a dream.